Umbrellas Put in Garbage For patio umbrellas and other oversized umbrellas that won’t fit in your garbage with the lid closed, take them to the Resource Recovery Facility (RRF). Umbrella Frames Are Scrap Metal If you dismantle the umbrella, the bare metal frame can be disposed of as scrap metal. Otherwise, put the entire umbrella in the trash. Umbrella Fabric Is a Textile If you dismantle the umbrella, the fabric can be disposed of with other clothing and textiles. Otherwise, put the entire umbrella in the trash. Plastic Umbrella Pieces Go in the Trash If you dismantle the umbrella, any plastic pieces can go in the trash, such as the handle. Otherwise, put the entire umbrella in the trash. Ways to Reduce Don’t Just Toss It — Fix It If your umbrella breaks, try fixing it before you throw it away. There are many guides online for umbrella repair, such as this guide from WikiHow. Ways to Reuse Use Old Umbrellas for Crafts You can use old umbrellas to make dozens of items, including walkway canopies, reusable bags, wall hooks and garden trellises. There are a ton of ideas online — take a look at this list of ideas from Dukes & Duchesses to get started. Did You Know? 33 Million Umbrellas Umbrellas are a huge market. In the U.S. alone, 33 million umbrellas are sold each year.